Grow More Joy

View Original

Schedule time for your relationship this year

2024 is here with that new year smell: the scent of possibility! 

It’s a great time to set a resolution for your relationship, like feeling closer with your partner, or having more fun together. 

Whatever goal you choose, there’s only ONE WAY to make it a reality: Make time for it.

One of my favorite coaches, Ramit Sethi, has a saying, “Show me someone’s calendar… and I’ll show you their priorities.”

If you want to make your relationship a priority this year, put it on your calendar. 

Make time for your relationship

Last year, Sunaina and I wanted to connect more, but it never seemed to happen with our schedules filled with work, our daughter, and watching TV in 10-minute increments on the toilet. 

Eventually we admitted that change wouldn’t happen on its own – it rarely does – and we scheduled Sunday morning brunch dates. 

Our only rule during these dates is no work talk. That way we ensure that we’ll connect in a way we can’t during the daily grind. 

Our weekly date has helped us feel closer. It reminds us that we’re romantic partners and not just worker bees and pack mules for our kid. 

Now that we get this regular time to connect, Sunaina and I also have a built-in safe space to share the thoughts and feelings that pile up over the week.

We feel more trust and patience with each other because we know we’ll have the chance to work through anything that comes up between us.

Schedule time for what you need 

So how could this practice work for you and your partner? 

Let’s say you both want to have more fun together. What’s an activity that you both find fun?

Tennis? A board game? A European vacation?

Schedule that activity on your calendar as often as makes sense. A tennis match could be every week. A European vacation, maybe not so often. 

Choose the activity and frequency that gives your relationship what it needs; you can always change them if they don’t help. 

By reserving space on your calendar, you’re creating the opportunity to make your relationship goal become a reality. 

So if you’d like to see more change in your relationship, you know what to do.

Put it on your calendar! 

Subscribe to our Grow More Joy newsletter to learn more about how to strengthen your relationship.